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Roof Rack WARNING

B_to_C

B_to_C

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Here's my 1990 Jimmy with a Con-fer roof rack mounted on the fiberglass top
image14.jpg


It was installed about 1 and a half years ago, and origrianlly I had my spare tire up there. But after about 6 months I noticed cracking inside the top...
CT5.jpg


So I took the spare tire off...Thinking I could just leave the jack and (empty) gas can up there, and the top would be OK.

Unfortunately this last weekend I was working on my truck (had the tailgate open for about 11 hours straight) and when I went to go close it...it wouldn't latch on the right side. It looks like the top is bowing out like this / \ Causing the bed reails to bow out like this \ / . As of right now, it has only happened on the right side.
CT1.jpg

-That is nearly 3/4" seperation at the top of the bed rail / tail gate.
CT2.jpg


below is the left side, not yet severely bowed...
CT3.jpg

Some more top cracking...
CT4.jpg


My Advice?
DO NOT run a roof rack on your fiberglass top!
 
That's why mine is for sale. Took a branch off a tree last time I went to Hollister. Ripped two welds right apart. Gonna weld them back up,and post this thing For Sale. :blush:

I'm glad my rack didn't do that much damage though. :frown1:
 
Jeez, that's no good. To be honest, I haven't heard any complaints about that product until today.

Has anybody else had similar problems?
 
Do you fourwheel the truck much? Are any of the rear body mounts starting to rust?

My '90 started doing the same thing and it's never had a roof rack installed. The combination of the normal body flex involved in trail riding and the body structure weakening due to some rust will cause this...........usual not the fiberglass top's fault but rather the bedsides bowing out. Mine actually got worse when you took the top off to the point you couldn't get the tailgate to latch at all.

I'm sure the roofrack probably didn't help matters any, but on the same note it probably was not the main cause.
 
6.2Blazer said:
Do you fourwheel the truck much? Are any of the rear body mounts starting to rust?

My '90 started doing the same thing and it's never had a roof rack installed. The combination of the normal body flex involved in trail riding and the body structure weakening due to some rust will cause this...........usual not the fiberglass top's fault but rather the bedsides bowing out. Mine actually got worse when you took the top off to the point you couldn't get the tailgate to latch at all.

I'm sure the roofrack probably didn't help matters any, but on the same note it probably was not the main cause.
Click to expand...

Hmmm, Thanks for the insight. I did a body lift about 6 months ago with all new body mounts, and some extra bracing. Things were definitely pretty rusty before that though :thinking: And yes I 4 hweel, and flex it a bit too :crazy:
 
Id have to agree here, Ive seen it before on K5s and plenty of times here on the site. If the tailpan rusts and starts to get weak then the bedsides start to bow out. Investigate and see if that is the case.
 
My tailpan was kinked and repaired after getting rear ended. When at BB03 I wheeled the entire weekend without my tailgate or top and when I put the tailgate back on it wouldn't latch at all. The bedsides had spread almost 2 inches, and you could see the tailpan had bent at the repaired area. I had to borrow a come-a-long to pull them in while jacking up one corner just to get the tailgate to latch...:blush:

I ended up replacing my tailpan and tying my cage into the tailpan to help strengthen that area in the future.

Once the tailpan gets weak there isn't much to keep the bedsides from spreading and damaging the hardtop.

Rene
 
See this is what CK5 is for...

So maybe it was the bedsides doing it to the top instead of the top doing it to the bedsides... :thinking: In any case I will need to get some support in there. I don't have a cage, but maybe some triangular support going from the bedside down to the floor pan?
 
I'd start by checking the tailpan first. That'll tell you a lot...

I'd consider running supports from the underside down to the frame with bushings. Probably won't create any problems at the very end of the frame and would make that part a ton stronger. Braces on the inside can really hamper loading stuff, because to really do any good you have to go to approx where the body mounts are.

If your tailpan is done in just replacing it will already help a lot. Mine was already damaged so it rebent very easily. Replacement of the tailpan is no fun at all...

Rene
 
Hey Nick, remember how you pointed out the cargo floor sloping down from the mounts? :thinking:


Maybe that's another indication of the problem?
 
Yea...I think it's safe to say my body is F***ED.

This is not something I had budgeted in the build-up of my truck :(
 
Well, there's that blazer across the street from me for $300.............
 
If you need to replace the tailpan just pm me. I'll hopefully be able to save you some time and aggravation.

Rene
 
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